6.5 Creedmoor vs. Other Mid-Sized .264-Caliber Cartridges
6.5 Creedmoor vs. Other Mid-Sized 6.5mm Cartridges
The 6.5 Creedmoor is a very popular cartridge with the tactical and PRS crowd. This mid-size cartridge offers good ballistics, with less recoil than a .308 Winchester. There’s an excellent selection of 6.5mm bullets, and many good powder choices for this cartridge. When compared to the very accurate 6.5×47 Lapua cartridge, the 6.5 Creedmoor offers similar performance with less expensive brass options. For a tactical shooter who must sometimes leave brass on the ground, brass cost is a factor to consider. Here’s a selection of various 6.5mm mid-sized cartridges. Left to right are: 6.5 Grendel, 6.5×47 Lapua, 6.5 Creedmoor with 120gr A-Max, 6.5 Creedmoor with 142gr Sierra MK, and .260 Remington.
When asked to compare the 6.5 Creedmoor to the 6.5×47 Lapua, Rifleshooter.com’s Editor stated: “If you don’t hand load, or are new to precision rifle shooting, get a 6.5 Creedmoor. If you shoot a lot, reload, have more disposable income, and like more esoteric cartridges, get a 6.5×47 Lapua. I am a big fan of the 6.5×47 Lapua. In my personal experience, the 6.5×47 Lapua seems to be slightly more accurate than the 6.5 Creedmoor. I attribute this to the quality of Lapua brass.” But now that Lapua is producing top-quality 6.5 Creedmoor brass with small primer pockets, we could have a “second generation” 6.5 Creedmoor that rivals ANY mid-sized cartridge for efficiency AND accuracy. We will soon know how well the 6.5 Creedmoor cartridge performs with Lapua brass.
The first shipment of Lapua 6.5 Creedmoor brass has arrived in the USA. It features a small flash hole and small primer pocket. We have some for testing…
New Lapua 6.5 Creedmoor Brass Field Tests Soon
Our friends at 65Guys.com will be testing the new Lapua 6.5 Creedmoor brass next week. The goal will be to determine if Lapua’s new Small Primer Pocket/Small Flash Hole brass allows higher velocities than American-made brass (Hornady specifically). In addition the 6.5 Guys want to see how well the new Lapua brass holds up after dozen (or more) firing cycles. They’ll hammer the new brass pretty hard to see how it fares with repeated stout loads. Stay tuned…
Here are three tables from the Sierra Bullets Reloading Manual (5th Edition). IMPORTANT — This is just a sample!! Sierra has load data for many other 6.5mm bullet types, including FB, Spitzer, SBT, HPBT, and Tipped MK from 85 grains to 142 grains. To view ALL 6.5 Creedmoor DATA, CLICK HERE.
INDICATES MAXIMUM LOAD – USE CAUTION
LOADS LESS THAN MINIMUM CHARGES SHOWN ARE NOT RECOMMENDED.
INDICATES MAXIMUM LOAD – USE CAUTION
LOADS LESS THAN MINIMUM CHARGES SHOWN ARE NOT RECOMMENDED.
INDICATES MAXIMUM LOAD – USE CAUTION
LOADS LESS THAN MINIMUM CHARGES SHOWN ARE NOT RECOMMENDED.
Similar Posts:
- 6.5 Creedmoor Load Data from Sierra Bullets
- 6.5 Creedmoor Cartridge Reloading INFO — Load Data from Sierra
- 6.5 Creedmoor Load Data from Sierra Bullets
- 6.5 Creedmoor Load Data — Charts From Sierra Bullets
- 6.5 Creedmoor Cartridge Load Data from Sierra Bullets
Share the post "6.5 Creedmoor vs. Other Mid-Sized .264-Caliber Cartridges"
Tags: 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5 Guys, 6.5x47 Lapua, 6mm Creedmoor, Load Data, Rifleshooter.com, Sierra 6.5 Creedmoor, Small Primer, Tactical
Confused and confusing. Firstly the 65 x 47 is lambasted for being “esoteric” (damned with faint praise), expensive and not available loaded.
Then the 6.5 Creedmoor is extolled as being cheap and easy to obtain loaded.
Finally, the company that produces the 6.5 x 47 is held up for now producing 6.5 Creedmoor brass in the same small flash hole configuration.
Let’s just accept the Creedmoor is the next darling of the media and see how the market reacts.
Your pretty much nailed it there. Sad thing is the Creedmoor is not as accurate and only the bench rest elite will be shooting it. The masses will have to make due with a cartridge that is a compromise. A marketing compromise at that.
Your pretty much nailed it there. Sad thing is the Creedmoor is not as accurate and only the bench rest elite will be shooting it. The masses will have to make due with a cartridge that is a compromise. A marketing compromise at that.
I would also add that the 47s accuracy has nothing to do with better brass. Its the design of the case and its shorter length that keeps bullets out of the doughnut zone that make it hands down more accurate than any other 6.5
This strikes me as another manufactured argument. All three (6.5×47, Creedmoor, and .260 Rem) are excellent cartridges. There isn’t really all that much you can say negatively (with respect to actual performance) about any of the three. I have a lot of experience with the Creedmoor and .260 Rem. My friends own 6.5x47s.
My conclusion – find one, learn to load for it, and go have fun. We are lucky to live in such times.
Did the Swede die? I missed the obituary in the paper.
hmmm, maybe when we talk about common modern efficient 6,5mm 30° calibers, we can only talk about 6,5×47 lapua, 6,5 creedmoor and 6,5×284…
and if 6,5×284 is too strong, we can choose only between the first two.
Can someone explain to me how using a small primer will increase velocity over a large primer? Makes no sense to me, sorry.
Editor: It’s about pressure. The small primer pocket puts more metal in the part of the case that is critical for case life — once the primer pocket gets too big you can’t reload the case. We’ve seen with cases such as the 6mmBR and 6mm PPC that the small pocket may let people load to higher pressure levels and still retain “tight enough” primer pockets. With more pressure comes higher velocity.
I agree with Richard. The 47L has had the worst rap from the media. While the Creedmoor has just about everyone bowing down to kiss its feet. The Creedmoor is innovative but its still a compromise in accuracy and can’t beat the 47L in Bench rest.
As for the article above I disagree that the Creedmoors brass quality is the reason for its lesser accuracy. There is plenty of good brass for it from Nosler and Norma that is 99% as good as Lapuas. The creedmoor has faults in its design and that is why its not as accurate.
With Lapua’s introduction of small primer brass they have solved on of the two problems the Creedmoor has. That large primer pocket was its Achilles heal and single greatest downfall. Its why Hornady had to make the case longer to get the same performance as the 47L. Why didn’t they just start making 47L?
We almost had a Bench rest quality cartridge that the masses could shoot if Hornayd had adopted the 47L but looks like pure accuracy will only be left to the very elite hand loaders. Sad story of todays affairs. Once again the bean counters have one and the consumers have lost another chance at shooting 47L.
I have never understood how the 6.5 Creedmoor got such a marketing boost. I am not knocking the cartridge as it seems to work well. But I have used the 6.5×47 Lapua since the start. It is a fantastic cartridge. It is extremely accurate out to 1000 yards and doesn’t burn through barrels like the 6.5/284. It is a shame that all the load data books didn’t come up with loads for the 6.5×47 Lapua. Had there been more interest from the load books perhaps the 47 Lapua would have over shawdowed the Creedmoor from the start.
Basically Hornady copied the 6,5×47 Lapua, then paid magazines and websites to push its “Creedmore to the masses”.
EDITOR: FWIW, Hornady has never paid AccurateShooter.com one dime (though they have paid other media companies). We have extensively covered and promoted the 6.5×47 Lapua, including creating a very comprehensive 6.5x47L cartridge guide. One thing that has to be acknowledged, however, is that many factory rifles are now chambered for the 6.5 Creedmoor and that just can’t be said for the 6.5×47 Lapua. For those considering the PRS Factory Class, that makes a difference. Also in the tactical game, there are some courses where it’s not practical to recover your brass. For those stages, having a rifle that can shoot inexpensive (Hornady) brass makes sense.
Accurateshooter has been the only website to show the 6.5×47 fairly. Everyone else has not given it half the credit it deserves.
It really boils down to affordable and accessible factory ammunition that is “good enough”. This is where the Creedmoor beat the x47 and led to it becoming a common offering in mass produced rifles. It’s easy to see this comparison from the enthusiasts perspective where we consider specialty chamberings like the 6BR as common place. This level of involvement isn’t the case for the majority of shooters. This critical factory support rendered by Hornady pushed the Creedmoor over the top for the masses…and volume is king.
Editor….6mmBR.com was the only place to learn about loads for the 6.5 x 47 Lapua and I have to praise you for that. Handloaders shared information on your website long before it was listed in any manual. That is very high praise for the information that can be had here on Accurateshooter.com
Don’t stop…………eric
I believe the person who won the big 1000 yard b/r World Open used a 6.5/47 in both light and heavy gun (High overall). This proves that it is a very accurate cartridge. The 6.5/284 is also a very accurate cartridge, it has also taken the world open in both heavy and light gun (High overall). The Swede has been around for well over 100 years and still going strong. People who have used these three cartridges probably won’t give the Creedmor a second look,it doesn’t have nothing to offer that they don’t already have. Just fake news.
Shouldn’t we wait till folks try out this Lapua brass and see if helps the Creedmoor? Oh I’d like to see a 7mm Creedmoor
Glad I’m not the only one underwhelmed by this Creedmoor spin.
Just FYI guys, the 130 Bergers fit deep in a 6.5 Swede case and shoot bug holes and a good velocity. Just like a Creedmoor only cheaper for brass and in a short action too.
Guess I missed it, was looking for an actual comparison with maybe some basic things things like case volume and velocity/pressure numbers in similar configuration barrels, maybe even more advanced topics like turbulence point.
But looks like the normal, “this one shoot more gooder” comparison….modern day gun articles never miss an opportunity to disappoint.
Also, the 6.5 Swede can use 130 Bergers in a short action Rem 700. Cheaper brass, same/better accuracy and same velocities as a Creedmoor, just a couple more gains of powder.
Editor: It was not meant to be a slight towards this site!! I was a very keen reader on this board when the news broke about the 6,5 Lapua, and subsequent years and had great hopes for it!
However, when the market became totatly flooded, both in gun rags and websites, with a cartridge that the manufacturar claims is “tweeked from a 300 Savage/30TC”, when its just a fraction of the 6,5 Lapua case, I just got to call BS.
Lapua made match grade brass and ammunition, while Hornady pumps out massive amounts of cheap ammo and rifles.
I feel Lapua should get alot more recognition, instead of beeing compared to a copy.
I guess I am part of the marketing hype… but I’ll just sit in the corner, content and rubbing my new Lapua Creedmoor brass giggling.
It’s all so silly and waste of taxpayer finances.
The SWWEDE’s nailed it 124yrs ago with the 6.5×55 = better all around cartridge than any and every one of the above…
My opinion~!
I agree 100%
Long live the Swede! It’s all you’ll ever need! (Unintended Rhyme)